Outdoor gas fireplace

ABSTRACT

A portable outdoor fireplace is provided. The portable outdoor fireplace has a housing that supports a gas burner, typically for heat, and a separate ornamental flame. The outdoor fireplace also has a moveable hood. A gas shut-off valve is manipulated based on the position of the hood.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field ofgas-fueled fireplaces, and more specifically to the field of portablegas-fueled outdoor fireplaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Outdoor fire pits, fireplaces and heaters have been used bycampers, homeowners and others to provide both outdoor heat and theaesthetically appealing appearance of a wood fire. Prior outdoor firepits, fireplaces and heaters are generally grouped into threecategories: (1) wood burning; (2) standard gas fueled; and (3) infraredradiation emitting. Further, prior outdoor fire pits, fireplaces andheaters are divided into permanent or stationary devices, such as thosemade from brick or masonry, and portable devices. However, each of thesetypes of outdoor heaters/fireplaces have inherent limitations.

[0003] 1. Wood Burning Fire Pits/Fireplaces:

[0004] U.S. Patent No. Des. 293,191 (commonly assigned to Weber-StephenProducts Co.) discloses a portable outdoor fireplace. This designincorporates similarly shaped top and bottom portions of the well-knownWeber kettle grill. The top and bottom covers are spaced apart by aframework to provide a wood burning area.

[0005] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,598,834 and 5,836,294 disclose a portableoutdoor fireplace with a convertible grill feature. The '834 patentdiscloses a portable outdoor wood burning fireplace with top and bottomhousing members and a fire screen assembly extending verticallytherebetween. The fire screen assembly is cylindrical and includesmultiple screen panels. One of the screen panels is removable andinsertable into the fire screen assembly and supported horizontallytherein to provide a grill surface within the fire screen assembly whichmay be used for cooking. The '294 patent, a continuation-in-part patentof the '834 patent, discloses a similar device, however, one of thescreen panels of the fire screen assembly is hinged to provide a sideentrance to the fireplace.

[0006] While wood burning fire pits/fireplaces are aestheticallyappealing, they have the inherent downsides of requiring an abundance ofwood, as well as an initial start-up time and a cool down time. Further,wood burning fire pits/fireplaces require extensive cleanup from the ashand smoke produced during the burning process.

[0007] 2. Standard Gas Fueled Fireplaces/Heaters

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,585 discloses a forced air type portable gasspace heater. The heater includes a base, an outer tubular housing and aburner assembly mounted within the outer housing. A fan is mountedwithin the outer housing behind the burner assembly. Fuel and combustionair is supplied to the burner assembly, forcing hot combustion gasesfrom the burner assembly, and cooling the exterior of the burnerassembly.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,223 discloses a gas started wood burningportable fire pit grill. This fire pit has a fire bowl base, acylindrical wood receiving chamber defined by expanded metal walls abovethe fire bowl, a pair of separately controlled gas burners encirclingthe chamber adjacent its side wall, and a propane gas tank releasablyconnected to the apparatus and gas burners via a flexible hose andmanual quick release coupling. Wood pieces are stacked into the chamber,and the gas burners project their flames horizontally internally towardthe stacked wood pieces to advance their burning, at which time thepropane gas may be disconnected and moved away.

[0010] Another commercially available gas fueled blue-flame typefireplace is distributed by the Coleman Company under the tradename “GasLog Patio Hearth,” model 5076 series. This device incorporates a conicalshaped base that houses a standard 20 lb. propane tank. A fire panhaving a gas burner ring is supported on the base, and a plurality ofartificial logs are situated above the burner ring to provide a woodburning fire effect to the flame emitted from the gas burner.

[0011] Numerous other commercially available gas burning outdoorfireplaces are also available. Such devices operate under generally thesame principal as the above-identified “Gas Log Patio Hearth,” therebyincluding some form of a burner base, a gas burner, and a plurality ofartificial logs. Unfortunately, while these gas fireplaces eliminatesome of the downfalls associated with burning real wood, they do notprovide a sufficient source of heat.

[0012] 3. Infrared Radiation Emitting Heaters

[0013] Patio heaters that emit up to approximately 55,000 BTU's ofradiant heat have been utilized for some time. Typically, such radiantheaters are mounted atop a vertical stand, often as high as 90″ tall,and the fuel tank is located at the base of the vertical stand. Alight-weight aluminum reflector dome is placed above the radiant heaterto direct the radiant energy about approximately a fifteen foot diametercircle. While such heaters provide sufficient heat, they unfortunatelydo not provide the aesthetics of a fireplace.

[0014] Accordingly, a portable gas-fueled outdoor fireplace inaccordance with the present invention provides an apparatus whicheliminates the drawbacks of the prior outdoor firepits/fireplaces/heaters described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention provides a portable gas-fueled outdoorfireplace. The outdoor fireplace combines the aesthetics and heat of anatural wood fire with the simplicity and cleanliness of a gas fueledfireplace. Generally, the portable gas-fueled outdoor fireplacecomprises an ornamental flame and a heat producing gas burner attachedto a housing, and a hood moveably attached to the housing to cover thegas burner and the ornamental flame when the hood is in the closedposition.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, the ornamentalflame is provided by a first gas burner in a first embodiment. Inanother embodiment, an artificial flame provides the ornamental flameemanating from the fireplace.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a secondgas burner is provided. The second gas burner may emit radiant energy ina wavelength range that is transmitted to an area surrounding thefireplace. In one embodiment, the second gas burner comprises aninfrared burner. In another embodiment, the second gas burner maycomprise a plurality of infrared burner panels emitting infrared energyin a plurality of directions.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, the secondgas burner is distinct from the first gas burner, and produces energy ina second energy range, a portion of which is outside of the energy rangeof the gas burner. The first gas burner may comprise a substantiallyplanar burner plate having a plurality of apertures and a cavityadjacent to the apertures, the cavity distributing fuel throughout theplurality of apertures in the burner plate. The first gas burner mayfurther comprise a plurality of conductive members distributed on theburner plate, the conductive members dispersing a flame protruding fromthe apertures in the burner plate.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, the outdoorfireplace further comprises a control valve in fluid communication withthe first gas burner, the control valve controlling the flow of fuelfrom the supply to the burner. The outdoor fireplace may furthercomprises a second control valve in fluid communication with the secondgas burner, controlling the flow of fuel from the supply to the secondgas burner.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, the outdoorfireplace further comprises an ignitor for the first gas burner. In oneembodiment, where the ornamental flame is provided by the first gasburner, the outdoor fireplace further comprises a second ignitor for thesecond gas burner. The second ignitor is separated and independentlycontrolled from the ignitor for the first gas burner.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, the housingof the outdoor fireplace generally comprises a base member or bottommember. In one embodiment, the housing of the outdoor fireplace furthercomprises a transverse member attached to the base member, such that thetransverse member is generally transverse to the base member. In thisembodiment of the invention, the ornamental flame is mounted to the basemember, and the second gas burner is mounted to the transverse member.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, when theornamental flame is provided by a first gas burner, the second gasburner emits energy in a direction generally transverse to the directionin which the first gas burner emits energy.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, one or moretransport members depend from the fireplace housing, the transportmembers support the fireplace housing and are adapted to provideportability to the outdoor fireplace. In one embodiment, the transportmembers are wheels connected to the fireplace housing.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, the fuelsupply comprises a tank supported by the housing.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, the hood ofthe fireplace is moveable between a first position and a secondposition. In one embodiment, the hood is attached to the base member ofthe housing.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, thefireplace further comprises a gas safety valve in fluid communicationwith the fuel supply, the gas safety valve being moveable from an openposition to a closed position.

[0027] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, theoutdoor fireplace further comprises a sensor that senses the position ofthe hood and manipulates the gas safety valve. The movement of the hoodfrom the first position to the second position moves the safety valvefrom the open position to the closed position, thereby manipulating thesupply of gas to the gas burners.

[0028] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following specification taken in conjunction with the followingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] To understand the present invention, it will now be described byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0030]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outdoor fireplace of thepresent invention;

[0031]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outdoor fireplace of FIG. 1,with the hood closed;

[0032]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear of the outdoor fireplaceof FIG. 1;

[0033]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the back wall assembly of theoutdoor fireplace of FIG. 1;

[0034]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the base assembly of the outdoorfireplace of FIG. 1;

[0035]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the bottom burner of the outdoorfireplace of FIG. 1;

[0036]FIG. 7 is a side view of the bottom burner of the outdoorfireplace of FIG. 1;

[0037]FIG. 8 is an alternate embodiment of the bottom burner of theoutdoor fireplace of FIG. 1;

[0038]FIG. 9 is another alternate embodiment of the bottom burner of theoutdoor fireplace of FIG. 1;

[0039]FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the manifold assembly ofthe outdoor fireplace of FIG. 1; and,

[0040]FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the gas shut offassembly illustrated in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0041] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in manydifferent forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein bedescribed in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intendedto limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodimentsillustrated.

[0042] Referring now to the Figures, and specifically to FIG. 1, thereis shown an outdoor fireplace 10 of the present invention. The outdoorfireplace 10 has a fireplace housing 12, a first flame assembly 14 and asecond flame assembly 16. A hood 18 depends from the fireplace housing12. Generally, the fireplace housing 12 supports at least one flameassembly, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would understandthat additional flame assemblies may be incorporated into the outdoorfireplace 10 without departing the scope of the invention.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the fireplace housing 12 in oneembodiment comprises a first housing member 20 and a second housingmember 22. Generally, the first flame assembly 14 is mounted to thefirst housing member 20, and the second flame assembly 16 is mounted tothe second housing member 22. Additionally, a transport member 24depends from the fireplace housing 12. The transport member 24 supportsa portion of the fireplace housing 12, and it also assists in providingportability to the outdoor fireplace 10. In a preferred embodiment, thetransport member 24 comprises a wheel.

[0044] The first housing member 20 of the outdoor fireplace 10 of thepresent embodiment functions as a base member. In such an embodimentshown in FIG. 5, the first housing member 20 has a bottom panel 26,opposing first and second side panels 28, 30, a front panel 32, opposingfirst and second front legs 34, 36 and first and second opposing rearlegs 38, 40. During manufacture, the first front leg 34 is secured tothe first side panel 28, the front panel 32 and the bottom panel 26 withthe use of fasteners. Similarly, the second front leg 36 is secured tothe second side panel 30, the front panel 32 and the bottom panel 26with the use of fasteners. Next, the first rear leg 38 is secured to thefirst side panel 28 and the bottom panel 26, and the second rear leg 40is secured to the second side panel 30 and the bottom panel 26, withfasteners. In a preferred embodiment the components of the first housingmember 20 are made of sheet material, specifically bent sheet metal,however, one having skill in the art would appreciate that thesecomponents may be made and assembled in a variety of ways, including,but not limited to, castings, weldments, forgings, etc. Finally, ahandle 42 is mounted to the first housing member 20. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 5, the handle is mounted to the first housing member20 with the use of first and second holders 44 that are fixed to thefront legs 34, 36. Additionally, a wheel 24 is rotatedly secured to thefirst and second rear legs 38, 40, respectively. As such, the outdoorfireplace 10 can be easily moved.

[0045] The second housing member 22 (also referred to as a transversemember because of its orientation in various embodiments) of the outdoorfireplace 10 of the present embodiment is positioned transverse to thebase member 20, and has a front member 46, a rear member 48 and opposingfirst and second side members 50, 52. During manufacture, the secondhousing member 22 is mounted to the first housing member 20.Specifically, the front member 46 is connected to the rear member 48 ata top end of each member. Then, the first side member 50 is secured toone side of the front member 46, and the second side member 52 issecured to the opposing side of the front member 46. Finally, the frontmember 46 of the second housing member 22 is secured to the bottom panel26 of the first housing member 20 with fasteners that extend through alip 54 of the front member 46, the rear member 48 of the second housingmember 22 is secured to the bottom panel 26 of the first housing member20 with fasteners, and the first and second side members 50, 52 aresecured to the bottom panel 26 of the first housing member 20 with theuse of fasteners. As with the first housing member 30, in a preferredembodiment the components of the second housing member 22 are made ofsheet material, specifically bent sheet metal, however, one having skillin the art would appreciate that these components may be made andassembled in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, castings,weldments, forgings, etc.

[0046] The second housing member 22 has a plurality of apertures 60 inthe top of the front member 46. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, the firsthousing member 20 has a plurality of apertures 62 in the bottom panel26. Additionally, the rear member 48 has a plurality of apertures 59.The apertures 59, 60, 62 allow heat to escape out of the internal cavityof the second housing member 22. Further, by having apertures at the topand bottom of the internal cavity of the second housing member 22, achimney effect is provided to cool down the interior of the secondhousing member 22.

[0047] The rear member 48 of the second housing member 22 has aplurality of bent lips that increase the rigidity of the rear member 48and allow the rear member 48 to operate as a bracket. As shown in FIG.3, the rear member 48 supports a tank scale 58, which in turn supports afuel tank 60 that provides fuel to the flame assemblies. In thepreferred embodiment, the supply of fuel for either or both of the flameassemblies 14, 16 is provided by fuel in the fuel tank 60. However,other supplies of fuel, including, but not limited to natural gas, maybe provided without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0048] Opposing access panels 56 are provided in the rear of the secondhousing member 22 to provide access to the interior of the secondhousing member 22. The access panels 56 are located adjacent the rearmember 48 and form a portion of the rear wall of the second housingmember 22. The access panels 56 have a lip 57 which engages opposingfirst and second side members 50, 52, respectively. Additionally, theaccess panels 56 have a hole through which a threaded hand bolt can passthrough to removably secure the access panels 56 to the rear member 48.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the moveable hood 18 or lid depends fromthe fireplace housing 12 and is moveable between a first position(generally shown in FIG. 1) to a second position (generally shown inFIG. 2). The hood 18 is generally comprised of first and second end caps60, 62 with a central member 64 therebetween. In a preferred embodiment,the first end cap 60 is rotatably secured to the first rear leg 38, andthe second end cap 62 is rotatably secured to the second rear leg 40.The hood 18 also has a handle 66 for opening and closing the hood 18.The handle 66 is mounted at opposing ends to the first and second endcaps 60, 62. As shown in FIG. 2, the first and second front legs 34, 36have a ledge 68 on which the hood 18 rests when the hood 18 is in thesecond or closed position.

[0050] In one embodiment of the outdoor fireplace 10, the first flameassembly 14 provides an ornamental flame 70. The ornamental flame 70provides the appearance of a wood-burning fire to the outdoor fireplace10. The ornamental flame 70 may be provided by an artificial flame, suchas a decorative flame comprising a fire-like rendition including acolored plastic, paper or any other type of apparatus that provides anartificial but realistic appearing flame, by a separate gas burner, by acarbon-burning element, or by any means which provides the appearance ofa wood-burning fire. As such, the ornamental flame may or may not becomprised of a burning flame.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, in a preferred embodiment theornamental flame 70 of the first flame assembly 14 is provided by aflame from a first gas burner 72. In the preferred embodiment, the flameof the first gas burner 72 is provided by in a blue flame mode.Typically, blue flames release the majority of its energy throughconvection. The first gas burner 72 is generally mounted to the firsthousing member 20 of the fireplace housing 12. The first gas burner 72in this embodiment has dispersing components 74, 76 thereon to dispersethe gas flame, thereby providing the appearance of a wood-burning fire.In one embodiment, illustrated in partial cross-section in FIG. 7, thedispersing components include a plurality of lava rock 74 and aplurality of artificial logs 76, however it is not necessary to haveboth lava rock 74 and artificial logs 76. The use of either lava rock orartificial logs, or some other component capable of dispersing a flame,is acceptable. Generally, the lava rock 74 are disposed on the first gasburner 72, and the artificial logs 76 are disposed on the lava rock 74.In such a configuration, the artificial logs 76 are located on the lavarock 74 to further disperse the flame and to provide the appearance of awood-burning fire.

[0052] One embodiment of the first gas burner 22 is illustrated in FIGS.6 and 7. The first gas burner 72 comprises a burner plate 78 and aburner base 80. The burner base 80 is connected to the fireplace housing12, and the burner plate 78 is mounted to a top of the burner base 80.Further, the burner base 80 has elevation members 82 which raise asurface 84 of the gas entrapment cavity 96 of the first burner 72 adistance above the bottom panel 26 of the first housing member 20 toallow a manifold 86 to pass underneath the first gas burner 72 andsupply gas to the first burner 72. The elevation members 82 may besecured to the bottom panel 26 of the first housing member 20 to securethe first gas burner 22 in place. The burner base 80 further has aseries of grate-like protrusions 88 adjacent a front of the burner base80 to provide the appearance of a wood burning fireplace grate. Finally,a wall 90 depends from a rear of the burner base 80 to provide supportfor the dispersing components 74, 76.

[0053] The burner plate 78 comprises a member having a substantiallyplanar surface 92, with shoulders 94 extending outwardly and downwardlytherefrom. As such, when the burner plate 78 is positioned on the burnerbase 80, the substantially planar surface 92 of the burner plate 78 israised off the burner base 80, thereby creating a cavity 96 between theburner plate 78 and the burner base 80. The burner plate 78 further hasa plurality of apertures 98. Thus, fuel is supplied to the cavity 96from the manifold 86, and as the fuel accumulates it fills the cavity 96and is dispersed therefrom through the apertures 98 in the burner plate78. Because of the heat generated, the burner plate 78 and burner base80 of this embodiment are typically manufactured of stainless steel.

[0054] Another embodiment of the first gas burner 72 a is illustrated inFIG. 8. In this embodiment, a burner plate 78 is not utilized. Instead,at least one burner tube 79 having a plurality of apertures 98 isutilized with a modified burner base 80 a. Further, in the embodimentillustrated, three burner tubes 79 are incorporated into the design. Theburner tubes 79 are positioned directly above the upper surface 84 ofthe burner base 80 a. In such a configuration, the burner base 80 a maybe manufactured of a material other than stainless steel. The burnertubes 79 are secured at one end to the burner base 80 a, and at theother end to a manifold 86 a. The manifold 86 a is then connected influid communication with the first control valve 102. Tabs 83 adepending from the burner base 80 a assist in locating and securing theburner 72, including the burner tubes 79 and manifold 86 a, in place.Additionally, dispersing components (not shown), such as lava rock andartificial logs are placed over the burner tubes 79 to disperse the gasflame, thereby providing the appearance of a wood-burning fire.

[0055] Yet another embodiment of the first gas burner 72 b isillustrated in FIG. 9. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 8, in thisembodiment, a burner plate 78 is not utilized. Rather, at least oneburner tube 79 having a plurality of apertures is utilized with amodified burner base 80 b. Further, in the embodiment illustrated, threeburner tubes 79 connected to a manifold 86 a are incorporated into thedesign. The burner tube 79 and manifold 86 a assembly in this embodimentmay be identical to the burner tube 79 and manifold 86 a assemblydisclosed above. Unlike the above embodiment, the burner tubes 79 of theembodiment in FIG. 9 are positioned directly below the upper surface 84of the burner base 80 b. In such a configuration, the burner base 80 bhas a plurality of apertures 81 that mate with the apertures 98 of theburner tubes 79, and the burner base 80 b may be similarly manufacturedof a material other than stainless steel. The burner tubes 79 aresecured at one end to the burner base 80 b, and at the other end to themanifold 86 b. The manifold 86 b is then connected in fluidcommunication with the first control valve 102. Tabs 83 b depending fromthe burner base 80 a assist in locating and securing the burner 72,including the burner tubes 79 and manifold 86 b, in place beneath theupper surface 84 of the burner base 80 b. Additionally, dispersingcomponents (not shown), such as lava rock and artificial logs are placedover the burner tubes 79 to disperse the gas flame, thereby providingthe appearance of a wood-burning fire.

[0056] The second flame assembly 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4,generally comprises a second burner 100 connected to the fireplacehousing 12. In one embodiment, the second burner 100 is mounted to thetransverse member 22. Both the first gas burner 72 and the second burner100 are in fluid communication with the fuel supply.

[0057] Typically, the second burner 100 is a distinct type of burnerfrom the first burner 72. In a preferred embodiment, the first burner 72produces energy within a first range of wavelengths of theelectromagnetic spectrum, and the second burner 100 produces energywithin a second range of wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.Moreover, the second wavelength range produced by the second burner 100has a portion thereof which is outside that of the first wavelengthrange. Additionally, based on the configuration of the fireplace housing12, the first gas burner 72 emits its energy in generally a firstdirection, and the second gas burner 100 emits its energy in a seconddirection which is transverse to the first direction of emitted energyfrom the first gas burner 72.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the second burner 100 is an infraredgas burner. Infrared heat energy, a form of radiation, produced by theinfrared gas burner 100 is transferred via electromagnetic energythrough space by means of electromagnetic waves (i.e., light waves thatinclude visible and invisible waves). As such, the radiant heat from theinfrared burner 100 is a form of energy that heats objects directlythrough a conversion process without having to heat the air in between.More specifically, the infrared burner 100 produces energy within thesegment of the electromagnetic spectrum that falls between visible lightand radar, and it is divided into 3 segments by wavelength: (1) thefirst segment is the near or close segment and the wavelengths are inthe range of 0.076 microns to 1.5 microns; (2) the second segment is themiddle or intermediate segment and the wavelengths are in the range of1.5 microns to 5.6 microns; and, (3) the third segment is the far orlong-wave segment and the wavelengths are in the range of 5.6 microns to1,000 microns. Thus, as one of ordinary skill in the art understands,the infrared burner 100 does not radiate “heat,” rather an infraredburner 100 radiates a certain wavelength of electromagnetic waves thatstrikes an object, thereby exciting the surface molecules of the objectand causing them to vibrate. The heat generated by the increase of themotion of the surface molecules spreads to the interior of the objectthrough conduction, resulting in the solid heating up.

[0059] The infrared gas burner 100 of the present invention utilizesnatural gas or liquid petroleum gas as the gas for combustion. In thepreferred embodiment, the infrared gas burner 100 utilizes thecombustion heat to heat a ported ceramic surface 106, however, othersurfaces such as most perforated steel or certain wire meshes as areknown in the industry may also be utilized. This ported surface 106 thenreleases a proportion of the infrared heat energy as explained above.Conversely, gas burners such as that found in the preferred embodimentof the first gas burner 72, produce blue flames which hover above thesurface and release the majority of the energy through convection andnot radiation. Further, while it is understood by those having ordinaryskill in the art that infrared gas burners produce both infrared radiantheat and convective heat, infrared burners deliver a higher percentageof radiant heat and a lower percentage convective heat than blue flamegas burners.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, a blue flame operating first gasburner 72 operates at about 45,000 to 55,000 BTU's, and the infraredsecond gas burner 100 operates at about 10,000 to 20,000 BTU's. As such,the total BTU's for the fireplace 10 when both burners 72,100 areoperating is approximately 55,000 to 75,000 BTU's. At this operatingrange, the outdoor fireplace 10 should have a running time ofapproximately 5 to 6 hours on a single propane tank.

[0061] Valves control the flow of fuel to the first and second burners72, 100. As shown in FIG. 10, in the preferred embodiment, there areseparate control valves 102, 104 for each of the first and secondburners 72, 100 respectively. The first control valve 102 is in fluidcommunication with the first burner 72 and controls the flow of fuel tothe first burner 72, and the second control valve 104 is in fluidcommunication with the second burner 100 and controls the flow of fuelto the second burner 100. The first and second control valves 102, 104are fluidly connected to the main manifold 108. The main manifold 108 issecured to an inside of the second housing member 22, and is accessiblethough removal of the access panel 63. Fuel from the gas supply 60 flowsto the main manifold 108 through the gas shut off valve 110.

[0062] The control valves 102, 104 are operated via control knobs 103,105 on the outside of the fireplace housing 20. The control knobs 103,105 independently control the flow of fuel to the gas burners 72, 100,to independently control the heat dispersed from each burner,respectively. Additionally, each burner 72, 100 has an independentignitor 107, 109 for igniting the respective burners.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the gas shut off valve 110 for theoutdoor fireplace 10 is connected to the main manifold 108. The gas shutoff valve 110 is provided to ensure that fuel is shut off to the burnersof the fireplace 10 when the lid of the fireplace is closed. The gasshut off valve 110 is manipulated by opening and closing of the hood 18.In one embodiment, the gas shut off valve 110 comprises a rotatable disk112 which rotates to open and close the gas shut off valve 110. Therotatable disk 112 has slots 114 which engage pins 116 on a disk 118connected to the rotating shaft 120 supporting the hood 18. Further, therotating shaft 120 that supports the hood 18 is fixedly secured to thehood 18. As such, when the hood 18 is moved from the first position tothe second position (i.e., when the hood is opened and closed), theshaft 120 rotates, and the pins 116 on the shaft 120 engage the disk112, thereby manipulating the gas shut off valve 110. A sensor (notshown) may also be employed to sense the position of the hood andthereby manipulate opening and shutting of the gas shut off valveaccordingly. Nevertheless, it is understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art that numerous processes for manipulating the gas shut off valveare possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0064] While the specific embodiments have been illustrated anddescribed, numerous modifications come to mind without significantlydeparting from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protectionis only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gas fueled outdoor fireplace, comprising: afireplace housing; an burner connected to the fireplace housing; and, aseparate ornamental flame extending from the fireplace housing.
 2. Theoutdoor fireplace of claim 1, wherein the burner is an infrared burnerthat emits radiant energy that is transmitted to an area surrounding theoutdoor fireplace.
 3. The outdoor fireplace of claim 1, wherein theornamental flame is provided by a separate gas burner connected to thefireplace housing.
 4. The outdoor fireplace of claim 3, wherein theornamental flame comprises an artificial flame.
 5. The outdoor fireplaceof claim 1, further comprising at least one transport member connectedto the housing to provide portability to the outdoor fireplace.
 6. Theoutdoor fireplace of claim 1, further comprising a moveable hood, thehood being moveable between a first position and a second position. 7.The outdoor fireplace of claim 6, further comprising a gas safety valveoperably manipulated by the hood, wherein movement of the hood from thefirst position to the second position adjusts the gas safety valve froman open position to a closed position to shut off a supply of gas to theburners.
 8. The outdoor fireplace of claim 1, wherein the housingcomprises a base member and a transverse member depending from the basemember, and wherein the infrared burner is mounted to the transversemember.
 9. The outdoor fireplace of claim 8, wherein the ornamentalflame extends from the base member.
 10. A gas fueled outdoor fireplaceutilizing a supply of fuel, comprising: a housing; a first gas burnerconnected to the housing, the first burner producing energy within afirst range of wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum; and, asecond gas burner connected to the housing, wherein the second burner isdistinct from the first burner, and wherein the second burner producesenergy within a second range of wavelengths of the electromagneticspectrum, the second wavelength range having a portion thereof which isoutside that of the first range of wavelengths.
 11. The outdoorfireplace of claim 10, wherein the first burner emits energy ingenerally a first direction, and wherein the second burner emits energyin generally a second direction, the second direction beingsubstantially transverse to the first direction.
 12. The outdoorfireplace of claim 11, wherein the second direction of energy emittedfrom the second burner is generally horizontal.
 13. The outdoorfireplace of claim 10, wherein the second burner is an infrared burner.14. The outdoor fireplace of claim 13, wherein the infrared burnerproduces electromagnetic waves, a majority of which have a wavelengthwithin the infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum.
 15. Theoutdoor fireplace of claim 10, wherein the first burner is a gas burnerthat produces a blue flame.
 16. The outdoor fireplace of claim 15,wherein the first burner comprises a burner plate having a plurality ofapertures therein, the burner plate having a cavity adjacent the burnerplate to distribute the fuel through the plurality of apertures in theburner plate.
 17. The outdoor fireplace of claim 16, wherein the burnerplate is substantially planar.
 18. The outdoor fireplace of claim 16,further comprising a plurality of dispersing members distributed on theburner plate, the dispersing members dispersing a flame protruding fromthe apertures in the burner plate.
 19. The outdoor fireplace of claim10, further comprising a first control valve in fluid communication withthe first burner, the first control valve controlling the flow of fuelfrom a supply of fuel to the first burner, and a second control valve influid communication with the second burner, the second control valvecontrolling the flow of fuel from the supply of fuel to the secondburner.
 20. The outdoor fireplace of claim 10, further comprising afirst ignitor for the first burner, and a second ignitor for the secondburner, wherein the first ignitor and the second ignitor are separatelyand independently controlled.
 21. The outdoor fireplace of claim 10,further comprising a transport member depending from the fireplacehousing, the transport member supporting the fireplace housing andadapted to provide portability to the outdoor fireplace.
 22. The outdoorfireplace of claim 21, wherein the transport member is a wheel connectedto the fireplace housing.
 23. The outdoor fireplace of claim 10, whereinthe fireplace housing comprises a first housing member and a secondhousing member, the first burner being mounted to the first housingmember and the second burner being mounted to the second housing member.24. An outdoor fireplace adapted to be connected in fluid communicationwith a gas supply, comprising: a fireplace housing having a base memberand a transverse member; a first burner mounted to the base member andbeing in fluid communication with the gas supply.
 25. The outdoorfireplace of claim 24, further comprising a second burner mounted to thetransverse member, the second burner being in fluid communication withthe gas supply.
 26. The outdoor fireplace of claim 25, wherein the firstburner is a different type of burner than the second burner.
 27. Theoutdoor fireplace of claim 25, wherein the first burner is a blue flamegas burner, and wherein the second burner is an infrared burner.
 28. Theoutdoor fireplace of claim 24, further comprising a transport memberconnected to the housing.
 29. The outdoor fireplace of claim 25, furthercomprising a first valve in fluid communication with the first burner,and a second valve in fluid communication with the second burner,wherein the gas supply supplies fuel to the first and second valves. 30.The outdoor fireplace of claim 24, wherein the gas supply comprises aremovable tank supported by the housing, the tank having a supply of gastherein.
 31. The outdoor fireplace of claim 24, further comprising amoveable hood, the hood being connected to the fireplace housing andmoveable between a first position and a second position, and a gassafety valve being moveable from an open position to a closed position,and wherein the movement of the hood from the first position to thesecond position operates to have the gas safety valve adjusted from theopen position to the closed position to shut off the supply of gas fromthe gas supply.
 32. A gas fueled outdoor fireplace, comprising: afireplace housing supporting a gas burner; a valve in fluidcommunication with the gas burner, the valve being moveable from an openposition to a closed position, and the valve controlling the flow offuel from a gas supply to the burner; and, a moveable hood connected tothe fireplace housing, the hood being moveable from a first position toa second position, wherein the hood generally covers the gas burner inthe second position, and wherein the valve is manipulated to the closedposition to shut off the gas supply to the burner when the hood ispositioned in the second position.
 33. The gas fueled outdoor fireplaceof claim 32, further comprising a sensor connected to the hood, whereinthe sensor senses the position of the hood and manipulates the valve,such that when the hood is in one of the first position or the secondposition the valve is in the open position, and such that when the hoodis in the other one of the first position or the second position, thevalve is in the closed position.
 34. A gas fueled outdoor fireplace,comprising: a fireplace housing having a base member, a hood rotatablysecured to the base member, the hood rotating from an open position to aclosed position, and a gas burner depending from the base member of thefireplace housing.
 35. The gas fueled outdoor fireplace of claim 34,further comprising a transverse housing member connected to the basemember of the fireplace housing.
 36. The gas fueled outdoor fireplace ofclaim 35, further comprising an infrared burner secured to thetransverse housing member, the infrared burner emitting electromagneticwaves, a large portion of which have a wavelength within the infraredsegment of the electromagnetic spectrum.
 37. The gas fueled outdoorfireplace of claim 36, further comprising a first control valve in fluidcommunication with the first burner, the first control valve controllingthe flow of fuel from a supply of fuel to the gas burner, and a secondcontrol valve in fluid communication with the infrared burner, thesecond control valve controlling the flow of fuel from the supply offuel to the infrared burner.
 38. The gas fueled outdoor fireplace ofclaim 34, further comprising a gas safety valve being moveable from anopen position to a closed position, and wherein the movement of the hoodfrom the first position to the second position operates to have the gassafety valve adjusted from the open position to the closed position toshut off gas from a gas supply.